For Week 3 of Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness I have chosen to submit an image that I made this week that was really hard for me to make for another challenge. A Self Portrait. Although I’m a very vain woman making images of myself isn’t something I do. I am very self-conscious and awkward in front of the camera. I feel like I’m not photogenic. But, I’m a stubborn gal and once committed I will do what I can to fulfill the commitment even if I don’t post the work.

With time running out already in March I decided I had to pull up my boots, straighten my collar and get to work! So, while out-of-town photographing wild flowers I made several self portraits nearly killing myself tripping over the Basalt Lava rocks on Table Mountain to beat the 10 second timer then while at home on Sunday I thought I’d make a more formal type self-portrait.

I hear you, I never have been comfortable with having my picture taken and my wife hates it even more. On the other hand the younger generation have totally fallen in love with the selfie. Maybe when they get older their views will change. FWIW your are a good looking woman and you take a pretty good portrait.

Thank you so much Harold! It is true that in my youth I didn’t have a camera stuck in my face often…after baby pictures there were only the occasional holiday pictures, and then the yearly school photos. Nothing in my experience compares to what I’m seeing people do with selfies today.

My goodness~you are stunning!
I didn’t used to like self-portraits but I’ve been studying ones done by painters through the years and it really is a valuable exercise, I believe.
Of course, I sure hope nobody ever points a camera at me….

I’ve heard doing a self portrait a day for a year will really help your photography skills grow, but I’m not planning to do one any time soon. I’d much rather study great landscape and nature painters and make a nature image every day.